The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-16


 was the name by which I was ma ligned at home-a name filter for a dog than a man! However, I did manage to get in, and on being shown to room cooled my face and feelings in basin of water. Oh, why did 1 not mark that room? Suffice it to say that did not, but descended care lessly to tea, cozy meal which l shared with Miss Spinney and my sis- ter in & comfortable room known as the library.
 After tea I proposed to take my sister for a drive, in order that I might see something of the country round. Leave was extended until nine, and little pony trap was soon at the door. Now, am little vain of my driving powers, and therefore was not sorry to see all available win dows occupied by curious faces as we got in. gently shook the reins, but the pony stood stock still; I smartly touched him on the ear, in response to which he playfully kicked up his hind legs and licked his tail Again and again Irepeated the dose, but with no more encouraging result. At last the knotted end of the lash caught him sharp on the nostril, and, stung with pain, he started forward with such jerk that lost my hat. After severe struggle he was hauled in, and my hat restored, but altogether l felt that the whole incident had been without dignity, if not positively ridiculous, and my pleasure in the drive was utterly destroyed.
 As soon as we got back, my sister was packed off somewhere or other, while made my way to the library, where found Miss Spinney and three of the teachers, one looking rather duenna like, the other two young and decidedly prepossessing, all gathered round the supper table. This enjoya- ble meal over, Miss Spinney retired and left the four of us alone. We had got on excellently at supper after the akwardness had worn of, the duenna, in particular, thawing in the most surprising manner; and now she ac- tually proposed rubber, The rub Der was great fun; my partner had pretty blue eyes, and used them in the most charming way to signal messages, which kept me always on the qua Uire to interpret and reply to. Some- times our telegraphic glances were in- tercepted by the duenna on my left; the first time I became preternatunlly solemn and was instantly absorbed in my hand, but looking out of the cor ner of my eye I thought noticed an amused expression fit across her face, so my courage was restored, and thenceforward our eyes were quite un- blushingly bold. Indeed, I presently proposed to initiate the party into what I said was simple houshold game called poker" The proposal was received with exclamation.
 "I have so often read of the game in Bret Harte's touching stories, and wondered what it was like" said the duenna.
 They were apt pupils, or my enthus- iasm for the game was contagious, and the bets that were made were quite shocking to see, as the poet of the game would have observed had he as- sisted at it now. It is true we were not playing for money-what then? Blue Eyes knew as we'll as did, or perhaps as the reader has divined. But all happiness must have an end, and at 10:30 the duenna resuming sud- denly her severest aspect, declared we must now leave of. They bade me good night, one by one, Blue Eyes last, and 1 will declare her hand pressed mine, or mine hers, longest and closest of all.
 So was left alone, and after moon- ing round the room for a few minutes, was about to follow their example, when my eye was caught by shelf in a book case behind the door, filled with yellow covers. "Ah!" thought I, "here are the confiscations." And so they were; few French novels, dot ted amongst a number of wild Eng fish sensational yellow backs q was mortified to find "Jane Eyre" repre- sented by three copies; mortified, l mean, to find them confiscated) formed the choice collection. The bulk of them seemed mere sentimental twad dlings, but the picture on the cover of one reused my curiosity. It repre- sented gentleman lying dead on the floor of a room with a peaceful scowl on his face, and on either side of him the kneeling figure of woman, one fair the other dark, the fair one wiring ing her hands, the dark one calmly putting a revolver into it's case. This was the one selected to take down and read. It turned out to be an ex- citing bigamy, and read on until a neighboring clock warned me that twelve had come. rose with feel ing of relief, for knew that the big amy was going to result in murder,